Hallie Coatney
FAM3000
4/23/15
Music as a Social Activity
Music not only provides personal escape and relaxation; it also offers a way to connect with other people and strengthen social bonds. Any modern concertgoer would be quick to agree that enjoying live music is a social activity. You sing along to the music, dance, talk to your friends and the musicians often talk to and interact with the audience as well. It’s a place where people can connect over their shared interest in a particular band or musician.
The atmosphere is loud and there are thousands of voices and sounds that you’re exposed to. Many people assume that this is a modern convention but in reality music has always been enjoyed this way. The image of a stuffy silent concert hall is only a small part of the larger picture of music history. From the Middle Ages to the Romantic and Classical eras to the 21 st century, music has always been a social activity where audiences have aimed to be seen and also connect with the other audience members.
During the Middle Ages music added to the structure of society and was divided into two main categories: religious and secular. Religious music was the most prominent music during the first part of the Middle Ages. The Dark Ages had just ended and European society was slowly starting to develop in the form of “mini-kingdoms.” The lack of structure and predominance of the Catholic Church led those leaders to have great control over society. During this time “the Church was able to dictate the progress of arts and letters according to its own strictures and employed all the scribes, musicians and artists.”
(Sherrane, A Guide to Western Composers and Their Music) Gregorian chant- or plainchant- was the most popular religious music. It was comprised of a monophonic chant with a free melody set to liturgical texts. By participating in or attending services where chant was performed, a citizen could secure their place a respectable God-fearing member of society.
In the later part of the Middle Ages secular music became more popular as European society advanced. Both the nobles and common people enjoyed the works of traveling musicians, such as minstrels or troubadours. Originally, they “travelled from one village to the next” attending fairs and festivals singing ballads about “chivalry and courtly love” and
“stories of far lands and historical events.” (Medieval Music-Troubadours) They also spread the latest news as they travelled, allowing people in those villages to stay informed on the happenings of society. Troubadours and minstrels also provided some cultural education for those that couldn’t play music themselves, as most people sustained themselves through time-consuming farming or manual labor. Those in the audience could learn about the music and stories of the time while enjoying it with their neighbors and families. In addition to performing for the public these travelling musicians also had to entertain for the elites of the time. They were often “employed as a castle or court musician” and general entertainer. (Medieval Music-Minstrels) And some would continue to travel from castle to castle playing for the various nobility that lived there. In this sense, listening to the music of the troubadours or minstrels was a sign of aristocracy and wealth.

The audience behavior during Classical opera performances exemplifies the social nature of experiencing live music. Early operas were performed for small aristocratic audiences, but in the late Baroque and early Classical eras operas were performed in public opera houses for large audiences, mainly upper and middle class. But unlike the Baroque era or even modern opera audiences, Classical audiences did not sit quietly while they listened to the performers. Contrary to the tradition etiquette, the “audience, especially aristocrats, deliberately arrived late” and often left early “since it was bad form to stay for the entire performance.” (Lienhard and Zaretsky, Audiences and Concerts) For the short time they actually spent at the performance they rarely paid much attention what was happening on stage. Since “the aim was to see and be seen” opera halls were brightly lit, enough so that “the audience was as visible as the performers.” (18 th -Century Opera) And when they weren’t gambling or playing cards they would walk around to talk and network with other attendees. Eating and drinking were also commonplace in the theater. However,
“audiences stopped talking to listen to the aria” as it was the most recognized piece of any opera. (18 th -Century Opera) Any of this behavior would be regarded as scandalous at an opera performance today. But this was completely normal in the 18 th century. This unconventional conduct could be due in part to rise in popularity of opera buffa, a type of opera with a more comedic subject such as Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. Having a lighter more relatable theme may have provided a more conducive backdrop for mixing and mingling. People in this time believed that you didn’t have to listen silently to enjoy the music, that it provided a perfect setting for making acquaintances and catching up with friends. And in this time, it was just as important to prove that you were cultured and belonged with the other aristocrats at the opera as it was to enjoy the performance, if not more important. Opera in the Classical era provided people the opportunity to connect with and be seen by other members of the community.
In the Romantic era music continued to be a central part of social life among the middle and upper classes. But unlike the Classical era, it took shape in the form of parlor music.
Parlor music is exactly what it sounds like; it’s music that was meant to be played in the home or in front of small intimate audiences. And the lied- German for song- was a kind of parlor music that involved setting poems to music. Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Felix
Mendelssohn and Frederic Chopin were all composers that wrote parlor music, as did many others. Some of these composers “were able to support themselves financially by performing in these small venues and attracting wealthy patrons.” (Nineteenth-Century
Classical Music) But rather than hire musicians to play in their homes most people learned to play for themselves. “During the nineteenth century, leisure activity increased as the size of the extended family diminished” which led to a “craze for music” in the home.” (Funk,
Early Romantics and the Salons of 19th Century Europe) Most middle class homes were centered around the “salon, or parlor, where children played and learned with adult supervision, and where the family entertained company.” (Nineteen-Century Classical
Music) This is where parlor music earned its name. People socialized with their family and neighbors in parlors or salons by “ performing in instrumental and vocal ensembles, and by attending musical soirees, sing-alongs, and other interactive musical events.” (Home Sweet
Home) This was a very popular activity especially in the wintertime when those who supported themselves through farming had more free time after their harvest. As in the
Classical era, music was a way to prove one’s status in society as well. With the rise in popularity of making music as opposed to listening to professional performances people

began to place a bigger emphasis on “musical proficiency as a hallmark of good taste and moral reputability.” And a commonly held belief among the middle class was that “a proper education was incomplete without the study of music” especially the ability to play the keyboard as most of this popular parlor music was composed for the piano.
(Home Sweet
Home) So if you were well versed in reading and playing music you were seen as more cultured and well rounded than those that were not. Parlor music provided families a way to spend time together, connect with their neighbors and show that they had a proper education.
In the 21 st century, enjoying live music has become more social than ever. Go to any popular music concert and you will find a very relaxed and informal environment. People are usually standing rather than sitting and they can come and go as they please. The audience is often encouraged to sing along and dance by the performers who want to interact with their fans. Attendees also can converse with those around them or wander around the venue to find and socialize with other friends that might be there. Consuming food and drink is also acceptable behavior. Modern performers have developed and trained to be unphased by this potentially distracting behavior because this is the standard dynamic between the audience and artists. And the growing popularity of festivals adds to the social nature of modern music. You can spend an entire day, or weekend, with your friends constantly bouncing between different shows and experiencing a wide range of music. These festivals are like mini vacations where you get to spend time with your friends but also connect with other people who are there and have similar tastes in music.
These festivals also usually feature packed shows that are standing room only forcing you to also be physically close to the other concertgoers. And as in any other era concerts and performances also provide ways to show off one’s status. Rather than settle for inexpensive tickets far from the stage, some choose to pay enormous amounts of money to be in the front row or even to gain access backstage to meet the musicians. Many people do this not only to enhance their experience but also just to show that they can. This is also due in part to the celebrity of modern performers, something that existed in previous eras but was not as wide spread as it is now. Popular musicians are placed on pedestals and treated as idols in modern society.
Music always has been and always will be a social experience. People want to connect with the artists and with other people who enjoy the music. While people may have unique, personal reactions to the music they still want to share experience because we are social creatures. We are also vain creatures and want to show off to others how cultured and wealthy we are. From the Middle Ages to the 21 st century live music has been one of the most popular social activities in society and it will continue to be in the future as well.
Despite the growing popularity of personal listening devices, people will still continue to go to concerts and performances of all genres because nothing compares to the experience of live music. Whether it’s opera or heavy metal, there’s nothing like seeing the artist in their prime and being surrounding by hundreds or thousands of people who love the same music as much as you do. While the popular decorum or genre may change people will always use music as a way to form and enhance social bonds.

Sherrane, Robert. "The Middle Ages." Music History 102. Ipl2, Web. 27 Apr. 2015.
Alchin, Linda K. "Troubadours." Medieval Life and Times. Siteseen Ltd., June 2014. Web. 27
Apr. 2015.
Works Cited
Alchin, Linda K. "Minstrels." Medieval Life and Times. Siteseen Ltd., June 2014. Web. 27 Apr.
2015.
Lienhard, John, and Rob Zaretsky. "No. 2024: Audiences and Concerts." Engines of Our
Ingenuity. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.
"18th-Century Opera." Victoria and Albert Museum, Online Museum, Web Team,
Webmaster@vam.ac.uk. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.
Dobney, Jayson Kerr. "Nineteenth-Century Classical Music". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art
History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (October 2004). Web. 25 Apr.
2015
Funk, John. "Early Romantics and the Salons of Nineteenth Century Europe." Early
Romantics and the Salons of Nineteenth Century Europe. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.
"Home Sweet HomeLife in Nineteenth-Century Ohio." Special Presentation: Parlor Music.
Library of Congress, Web. 27 Apr. 2015.